rinkitink in oz-第6节

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responded　Rinkitink。　〃Are　the　warriors　all　gone？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Inga；　〃and　they　have　taken　my　father　and

mother；　and　all　our　people；　to　be　their　slaves；〃　he

added；　trying　in　vain　to　repress　a　sob。



〃So　　so！〃　said　Rinkitink　softly；　and　then　he　paused

a　moment；　as　if　in　thought。　Finally　he　said：　〃There　are

worse　things　than　slavery；　but　I　never　imagined　a　well

could　be　one　of　them。　Tell　me；　Inga；　could　you　let　down

some　food　to　me？　I'm　nearly　starved；　and　if　you　could

manage　to　send　me　down　some　food　I'd　be　well　fed　

hoo；　hoo；　heek；　keek；　eek！　　well　fed。　Do　you　see　the

joke；　Inga？〃



〃Do　not　ask　me　to　enjoy　a　joke　just　now；　Your

Majesty；〃　begged　Inga　in　a　sad　voice；　〃but　if　you　will

be　patient　I　will　try　to　find　something　for　you　to

eat。〃



He　ran　back　to　the　ruins　of　the　palace　and　began

searching　for　bits　of　food　with　which　to　satisfy　the

hunger　of　the　King；　when　to　his　surprise　he　observed

the　goat；　Bilbil；　wandering　among　the　marble　blocks。



〃What！〃　cried　Inga。　〃Didn't　the　warriors　get　you；

either？〃



〃If　they　had；〃　calmly　replied　Bilbil；　〃I　shouldn't　be

here。〃



〃But　how　did　you　escape？〃　asked　the　boy。



〃Easily　enough。　I　kept　my　mouth　shut　and　stayed　away

from　the　rascals；〃　said　the　goat。　〃I　knew　that　the

soldiers　would　not　care　for　a　skinny　old　beast　like　me；

for　to　the　eye　of　a　stranger　I　seem　good　for　nothing。

Had　they　known　I　could　talk；　and　that　my　head　contained

more　wisdom　than　a　hundred　of　their　own　noddles；　I

might　not　have　escaped　so　easily。〃



〃Perhaps　you　are　right；〃　said　the　boy。



〃I　suppose　they　got　the　old　man？〃　carelessly　remarked

Bilbil。



〃What　old　man？〃



〃Rinkitink。〃



〃Oh；　no！　His　Majesty　is　at　the　bottom　of　the　well；〃

said　Inga；　〃and　I　don't　know　how　to　get　him　out　again。〃



〃Then　let　him　stay　there；〃　suggested　the　goat。



〃That　would　be　cruel。　I　am　sure；　Bilbil；　that　you　are

fond　of　the　good　King；　your　master；　and　do　not　mean

what　you　say。　Together；　let　us　find　some　way　to　save

poor　King　Rinkitink。　He　is　a　very　jolly　companion；　and

has　a　heart　exceedingly　kind　and　gentle。〃



〃Oh；　well；　the　old　boy　isn't　so　bad；　taken

altogether；〃　admitted　Bilbil；　speaking　in　a　more

friendly　tone。　〃But　his　bad　jokes　and　fat　laughter　tire

me　dreadfully；　at　times。〃



Prince　Inga　now　ran　back　to　the　well；　the　goat

following　more　leisurely。



〃Here's　Bilbil！〃　shouted　the　boy　to　the　King。　〃The

enemy　didn't　get　him；　it　seems。〃



〃That's　lucky　for　the　enemy；〃　said　Rinkitink。　〃But

it's　lucky　for　me；　too；　for　perhaps　the　beast　can

assist　me　out　of　this　hole。　If　you　can　let　a　rope　down

the　well；　I　am　sure　that　you　and　Bilbil；　pulling

together；　will　be　able　to　drag　me　to　the　earth's

surface。〃



〃Be　patient　and　we　will　make　the　attempt；〃　replied

Inga　encouragingly；　and　he　ran　to　search。　the　ruins　for

a　rope。　Presently　he　found　one　that　had　been　used　by

the　warriors　in　toppling　over　the　towers；　which　in

their　haste　they　had　neglected　to　remove；　and　with　some

difficulty　he　untied　the　knots　and　carried　the　rope　to

the　mouth　of　the　well。



Bilbil　had　lain　down　to　sleep　and　the　refrain　of　a

merry　song　came　in　muffled　tones　from　the　well；　proving

that　Rinkitink　was　making　a　patient　endeavor　to　amuse

himself。



〃I've　found　a　rope！〃　Inga　called　down　to　him；　and

then　the　boy　proceeded　to　make　a　loop　in　one　end　of　the

rope；　for　the　King　to　put　his　arms　through；　and　the

other　end　he　placed　over　the　drum　of　the　windlass。　He

now　aroused　Bilbil　and　fastened　the　rope　firmly　around

the　goat's　shoulders。



〃Are　you　ready？〃　asked　the　boy；　leaning　over　the

well。



〃I　am；〃　replied　the　King。



〃And　I　am　not；〃　growled　the　goat；　〃for　I　have　not　yet

had　my　nap　out。　Old　Rinki　will　be　safe　enough　in　the

well　until　I've　slept　an　hour　or　two　longer。〃



〃But　it　is　damp　in　the　well；〃　protested　the　boy；　〃and

King　Rinkitink　may　catch　the　rheumatism；　so　that　he

will　have　to　ride　upon　your　back　wherever　he　goes。〃



Hearing　this；　Bilbil　jumped　up　at　once。



〃Let's　get　him　out；〃　he　said　earnestly。



〃Hold　fast！〃　shouted　Inga　to　the　King。　Then　he　seized

the　rope　and　helped　Bilbil　to　pull。　They　soon　found　the

task　more　difficult　than　they　had　supposed。　Once　or

twice　the　King's　weight　threatened　to　drag　both　the　boy

and　the　goat　into　the　well；　to　keep　Rinkitink　company。

But　they　pulled　sturdily；　being　aware　of　this　danger；

and　at　last　the　King　popped　out　of　the　hole　and　fell

sprawling　full　length　upon　the　ground。



For　a　time　he　lay　panting　and　breathing　hard　to　get

his　breath　back；　while　Inga　and　Bilbil　were　likewise

worn　out　from　their　long　strain　at　the　rope；　so　the

three　rested　quietly　upon　the　grass　and　looked　at　one

another　in　silence。



Finally　Bilbil　said　to　the　King：　〃I'm　surprised　at

you。　Why　were　you　so　foolish　as　to　fall　down　that　well？

Don't　you　know　it's　a　dangerous　thing　to　do？　You　might

have　broken　your　neck　in　the　fall；　or　been　drowned　in

the　water。〃



〃Bilbil；〃　replied　the　King　solemnly；　〃you're　a　goat。

Do　you　imagine　I　fell　down　the　well　on　purpose？〃



〃I　imagine　nothing；〃　retorted　Bilbil。　〃I　only　know

you　were　there。〃



〃There？　Heh…heh…heek…keek…eek！　To　be　sure　I　was

there；〃　laughed　Rinkitink。　〃There　in　a　dark　hole；　where

there　was　no　light；　there　in　a　watery　well；　where　the

wetness　soaked　me　through　and　through　　keek…eek…eek…

eek！　　through　and　through！〃



〃How　did　it　happen？〃　inquired　Inga。



〃I　was　running　away　from　the　enemy；〃　explained　the

King；　〃and　I　was　carelessly　looking　over　my　shoulder　at

the　same　time；　to　see　if　they　were　chasing　me。　So　I　did

not　see　the　well；　but　stepped　into　it　and　found　myself

tumbling　down　to　the　bottom。　I　struck　the　water　very

neatly　and　began　struggling　to　keep　myself　from

drowning；　but　presently　I　found　that　when　I　stood　upon

my　feet　on　the　bottom　of　the　well；　that　my　chin　was

just　above　the　water。　So　I　stood　still　and　yelled　for

help；　but　no　one　heard　me。〃



〃If　the　warriors　had　heard　you；〃　said　Bilbil；　〃they

would　have　pulled　you　out　and　carried　you　away　to　be　a

slave。　Then　you　would　have　been　obliged　to　work　for　a

living；　and　that　would　be　a　new　experience。〃



〃Work！〃　exclaimed　Rinkitink。　〃Me　work？　Hoo；　hoo；

heek…keek…eek！　How　absurd！　I'm　so　stout　　not　to　say

chubby　　not　to　say　fat　　that　I　can　hardly　walk；　and

I　couldn't　earn　my　salt　at　hard　work。　So　I'm　glad　the

enemy　did　not　find　me；　Bilbil。　How　many　others

escaped？〃



〃That　I　do　not　know；〃　replied　the　boy；　〃for　I

have　not　yet　had　time　to　visit　the　other　parts　of

the　island。　When　you　have　rested　and　satisfied

your　royal　hunger；　it　might　be　well　for　us　to

look　around　and　see　what　the　thieving　warriors

of　Regos　and　Coregos　have　left　us。〃



〃An　excellent　idea；〃　declared　Rinkitink。　〃I　am

somewhat　feeble　from　my　long　confinement　in　the　well；

but　I　can　ride　upon　Bilbil's　back　and　we　may　as　well

start　at　once。〃



Hearing　this；　Bilbil　cast　a　surly　glance　at　his

master　but　said　nothing；　since　it　was　really　the　goat's

business　to　carry　King　Rinkitink　wherever　he　desired　to

go。



They　first　searched　the　ruins　of　the　palace；　and

where　the　kitchen　had　once　been　they　found　a　small

quantity　of　food　that　had　been　half　hidden　by　a　block

of　marble。　This　they　carefully　placed　in　a　sack　to

preserve　it　for　future　use；　the　little　fat　King　having

first　eaten　as　much　as　he　cared　for。　This　consumed　some

time；　for　Rinkitink　had　been　exceedingly　hungry　and

liked　to　eat　in　a　leisurely　manner。　When　he　had

finished　the　meal　he　straddled　Bilbil's　back　and　set

out　to　explore　the　island；　Prince　Inga　walking　by　his

side。



They　found　on　every　hand　ruin　and　desolation。　The

houses　of　the　people　had　been　pilfered　of　all　valuables

and　then　torn　down　or　burned。　Not　a　boat　had　been　left

upon　the　shore；　nor　was　there　a　single　person；　man　or

woman　or　child；　remaining　upon　the　island；　save

themselves。　The　only　inhabitants　of　Pingaree　now

consisted　of　a　fat　little　King；　a　boy　and　a　goat。



Even　Rinkitink；　merry　hearted　as　he　was；　found　it

hard　to　laugh　in　the　face　of　this　mighty　disaster。　Even

the　goat；　contrary　to　its　usual　habit；　refrained　from

saying　anything　disagreeable。　As　for　the　poor　boy　whose

home　was　now　a　wilderness；　the　tears　came　often　to　his

eyes　as　he　marked　the　ruin　of　his　dearly　loved　island。



When；　at　nightfall；　they　reached　the　lower　end　of

Pingaree　and　found　it　swept　as　bare　as　the　rest；　Inga's

grief　was　almost　more　than　he　could　bear。　Everything

had　been　swept　from　him　　parents；　home　and　country　

in　so　brief　a　time　that　his　bewilderment　was　equal　to

his　sorrow。



Since　no　house　remained　standing；　in　which　they　might

sleep；　the　three　wanderers　crept　beneath　the

overhanging　branches　of　a　cassa　tree　and　curled

themselves　up　as　comfortably　as　possible。　So　tired　and

exhausted　were　they　by　the　day's　anxieties　and　griefs

that　their　troubles　soon　faded　into　the　mi